Atlanta United at Nashville SC: Staff, community player ratings after a 1-0 loss

Well, it wasn’t all bad for Atlanta United in a 1-0 loss to Nashville SC. They played a rusty Nashville side pretty even over much of the match. Their place in the standings, though, and the fact they need wins even to get themselves in the discussion of a playoff spot, doesn’t lend itself to moral victories.

As a reminder, here’s a look at the rating scale:

• 10 – world-class performance
• 9 – elite performance
• 6 – average
• 5 – slightly below average
• 3 – well below average
• 1 – poor in every level

Jay Fortune – No rating; limited involvement in match

Fortune’s night was cut short just past the 10th minute after an apparent hamstring injury. Hopefully it’s not serious and doesn’t keep him off the pitch for an extended period of time.

Lucas Hoyos – Staff rating – 6.25; Community rating – 6.025 (Man of the Match)

Hoyos answered the bell the few times he was called upon. Nashville’s goal was a result of a mistimed movement from Atlanta’s defense and can’t be pinned on him.

Elías Báez – Staff rating – 5; Community rating – 4.84

Báez’s act of indecision — reacting much too late to Shak Mohammed’s header on a cross from Alex Muyl — ultimately led to a goal and Nashville winning the match. The right back simply has to do much better in that situation.

Tomás Jacob – Staff rating – 6; Community rating – 5.93

It’s probably down more to Nashville as a team, but Jacob did a great job keeping Sam Surridge from getting too involved in this one. (Tata Martino called him Atlanta’s best player on the pitch for a reason.) His eight defensive contributions tied Nashville’s Max Woledzi for a match-high.

Enea Mihaj – Staff rating – 5.25; Community rating – 5.28

Not a bad showing for Mihaj in the CB partnership with Jacob. He had an active night, too, with a team-high 84 touches.

Matt Edwards – Staff rating – 5.5; Community rating – 5.59

Steady performance from Edwards on the right side of the defense as he filled in at Jacob’s usual spot. Hopefully, like Fortune, his injury isn’t serious.

Tristan Muyumba – Staff rating – 5.5; Community rating – 5.43

Muyumba didn’t have the cleanest match for Atlanta, but it wasn’t his worst by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve liked to see him a bit more involved in the attack, though.

Cooper Sanchez – Staff rating – 5.5; Community rating – 5.5

Sanchez, playing his final match before joining the U.S. in the Concacaf U-20 Championship, showed again why he’s in the youth national team discussion as it is. He’s still young, but the finished product will be intriguing.

Luke Brennan – Staff rating – 5.5; Community rating – 5

Brennan should have rewarded a terrific pass from Alexey Miranchuk with a goal. As it was, it was the best chance of the night for Atlanta, and really a microcosm of how much of the season has gone for them.

Miguel Almirón – Staff rating – 5.75; Community rating – 4.68

I think the community average is a bit harsh on Almirón, as he at least tried to generate something for Atlanta. That’s the thing, though: trying and actually executing are two different things.

Alexey Miranchuk – Staff rating – 5.75; Community rating – 4.81

Like Almirón, Miranchuk tried to create for Atlanta, the biggest opportunity coming on his pass to Brennan that sent the homegrown winger in on goal against Brian Schwake. But for a DP, much more is expected (and required).

Will Reilly (SUB 11′) – Staff rating – 5.5; Community rating – 5.03

Under the circumstances, I thought Reilly wasn’t bad for Atlanta. He was called on in an emergency situation and filled in nicely.

Ronald Hernández (SUB 62′) Staff rating – 5.25; Community rating – 4.54

Giving Hernández a 4.54 average rating is harsh. I certainly don’t think he deserved the 1s and 2s he received because he was far from “well below average.”

Fafa Picault (SUB 83′) – No rating; limited involvement in match

Emmanuel Latte Lath (SUB 84′) – No rating; limited involvement in match

It’s tough to score Latte Lath since he came in so late (which, I think, is an indictment of his standing in Martino’s eyes), but the one chance he had, he completely fluffed. That’s been the ELL experience in a nutshell.